Clothes wringer



Aug. 31, 1937. Q w, DUNHAM 2,091,847

CLOTHES WRINGER 4 Filed July 5, 1935 Invehtow: George \X/. Dunham,

Hi Abtoheg Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED sTATEs CLOTHES WRINGER GeorgeW. Dunham, Westport, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company,

New York a corporation of Application July 5, 1935, Serial No. 29,824

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to clothes wringers of the typesuitablefor use with washing machines and the like.

y The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction andarrangement in a clothes wringer in which the drainboards may be used toenclose the wringer when not in use.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention,attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claimsappended thereto. f

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clotheswringer embodying my invention showing the drainboards in the loweredposition; Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in section of one end ofthe wringer showing the wringer in the enclosed position; Fig. 3 is asectional end elevation taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2'; Fig. 4 is asectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3 showing the arrangement forpivoting the drainboards; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2; andFig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the manner of supporting .the rollguard.

lReferring to the drawing, the numeral I indicates the wringer framehaving spaced side stiles 2 and 3 at either end thereof between whichare rotatably carried a pair of cooperating wringer rolls 4. To the sidestile 2 is secured a casing 5 which contains the driving mechanism forthe Wringer rolls and which is provided with a de-l pending sleeve 6adapted to t over the wringer post of a domestic washing machine tosupport the wringer. To the side stile 3 is iixed a cover plate 1.Extending between the side stiles and above the wringer rolls is acontrol bar 8 which, when pivoted to either side of the central positionshown in Fig. 3, controls the direction of rotation of the wringer rollsand also controls the pressure between the rolls. When the control bar 8is in its central position it may be lifted.

As shown in Fig. '7, the control bar 8 is fixed to shaft 28a on`whichthe upper roll is rotatably carried. Pivoted on the shaft 28a is a rollguard 29 which overlaps the ends of the wringer rolls and preventsclothes from passing beyond the ends of the rolls. As shown in Figs. 1and 3, the sides of the roll guards are indented to more closely conformto the rolls. This increases the effectiveness of the roll guard. In thelower end of the roll guard is an open-ended slot which fits over thelower roll shaft 3I and maintains the roll guard centered with respectto the rolls.

The wringer described above is of the general type shown inI Patent1,906,407,-Perkins et al.

On either side of the Wringer are provided drainboards 9 havingup-turned side flanges. I0 extending along each side thereof forpreventing 5 the ow of water over the sides oi the drainboards. At theend of the side anges I0 adjacent the wringer frame, the side anges areprovided with thickened carn shaped bosses II into which are threadedpivot pins I2. The pivot pins 10 iit within holes I3 in the side stilesand pivotally i support the drainboards thereon, as shown in Fig.

4. The drainboards are held in the lowered position by braces I4 whichare carried on the upper side of the drainboards by hinges I5. As shown15 in Fig. 1, these braces'have projecting portions I6 which are adaptedto t within depressions I1 in the wringer frame. When the braces areswung to the position shown at the left-hand end of Fig. 1, the bracesare held in this position by 20 spring pressed pins I8 mounted in theunderside of the wringer frame which engage ears I9 on the drainboards.c Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of these pins. 'I'hese springpressed pins urge the drainboards toward the raised position and main-25 tain the braces I4 under compression, thereby maintaining theprojections I6 of the braces seated within the depressions I1. Thedrainboards are therefore securely held in the lowered position. Thedepressions I1 are arranged so 30 that if the material passing betweenthe rolls catches on the drainboards, the line of action of the forceexerted on the drainboards lwill pass below the depressions Il and thebraces will therefore be securely heldin place. As shown in Fig. 1, thebraces are inclined from the outer edge of the drainboard toward thecenter of the wringer and, in addition to holding the drainboards in thelowered position, provide guides for guiding the material toward thecenter of the wringer rolls thereby preventing the material from movingbeyond either end of the wringer rolls. This is important becausematerial passing beyond either end of the wringer rolls will not beproperly wrung and may becomesoiled or damaged due to contact with theoperating mechanism for the wringer rolls.

As shown at the vright-hand end of Fig'. 1, the braces I4 may be swungto a position in which rthey lie iiat on the upper surface of thedrainboards. When the braces are in this position, the drainboards maybe pivoted on pins I2 to a lposition between the side stiles 2 and\ 3.In this position, the drainboards enclose the space between the sidestiles. In orderto close the space over the top of the rolls, plates 20are provided which are hinged on the under or outer side of thedrainboards. The hinges for supporting the plates 20 each comprise abolt 5 2| which extends through a sleeve 22 formed integral with theplates 20 and through a boss 23 on the under side of the drainboard.Within the sleeve 22 and between the head of the bolt and the boss 23 isarranged a tubular sleeve 24 l which is pressed against the head of thebolt by a compression spring 25. A ring of friction i material 26 isarranged between the spring and the sleeve 24 and provides frictionwhich prevents free swinging of the plates 20 on the drain- 15 boards.'I'his friction is such that the plates will tend to remain in a fixedposition with respect to the drainboards. When the drainboards are inthe raised position, the upper edges of plates 20 fit under ears 21 onthe control bar 8 and 20 thereby hold the drainboards in the raisedposition. When the drainboards are in the lowered position, the plates20 may be swung to a position underneath the drainboards as shown inFig. 3 so that the plates will not interfere with 25 the operation ofthe wringer. The drainboards when released to open are preventd fromfalling with a clatter by a U-shaped spring 28 which is fastened to theunder side of the wringer frame I and which bears on the cam shapedbosses I I 30 which present an increasing radius as the drainboardopens.

In the use of the wringer the operating lever 8 is first lifted untilthe ears 21 are clear of the upper edges of plates 20. 'I'he drainboards9 are 35 then swung downward to the lowered position,

and the braces I4 are swung upward to the posi- I tion in which theprojections I of the braces fit within the depressions I1 of the wringerframe. During this movement, the spring 40 pressed pins I8 permit thedrainboards to be moved downwardly so that the braces I4 may be swunginto the raised position. When the braces are in the raised position,the spring pressed pins I8 engage ears I9 and tend to force 45 thedrainboards toward the raised position, thereby holding the braces undercompression and maintaining the projections I6 within the depressionsI1. The plates 20 may now be swung to a position beneath the drainboardswhere 50 they will not interfere with the use of thel wringer.

At the conclusion of the wringing, the drainboards may be returned tothe position shown in Fig. 2 in which they enclose the wringer. In

55 this operation the outer end of the drainboards is pressed downwarduntil the projections I6 of the braces are clear of the depressions I1.'Ihe braces I4 are then swung downward on the upper surface of thedrainboards, and the drain- 60 boards are raised to a position betweenthe side stiles. The plates 20 are then swung to a position over the topof the wringer rolls, the control bar 8 is lifted, the edges of theplates 20 placed beneath ears 21, and the control bar is then 65loweredso that the ears 21 extend over the upper edge of plates 20 andhold the plates in place.

What I claim as new and' desire ytosecure by Letters Patent in theUnited States is:

1. In a wringer, a frame having spaced side 70 stiles, drainboardscarried by the frame, said drainboards being hingedly movable from a`-lowered position projecting from opposite sides of the frame to a raisedposition closing the space between the side stiles, means on the wringer75 for holding the drainboards in the raised position, and bracesoperatively located between the frame and the drainboards, said bracesbeing movable to a position extending between the drainboards and theframe for holding the drainboards in the lowered position. 5

2. In a wringer, a frame having spaced side Stiles, drainboards carriedby the frame, said drainboards being hingedly movable from a loweredposition projecting from opposite sides of the frame to a raisedposition closing the space 1() between the side stiles, means on thewringer for holding the drainboards in the raised position, and braceshinged on the drainboards, said braces being movable to a positionengaging the frame for holding the drainboards in the lowered position.

3. In a wringer, a frame having spaced side stiles, drainboards pivotedon the frame, said drainboards being movable from a lowered positionprojecting from opposite sides of the frame to a raised position closingthe space between the side stiles, braces operatively located betweenthe frame and the drainboards, said' braces being movable to a positionextending between the drainboards and the frame for holding thedrainboards in the lowered` position, and spring means acting on thedrainboards for maintaining the braces under compression when thedrainboards are in the lowered position.

4. In a wringer, a frame having spaced side stiles, drainboards pivotedon the frame, said drainboards being movable from a lowered positionprojecting from opposite sides of the frame to a raised position closingthe space between the side stiles, braces hinged on the drainboards,said braces being movable to a position in which portions of the bracesrest in depressions in the frame for holding the drainboards in thelowered position, and spring means acting on the drainboards for holdingthe braces within said depres- 40 sions when the drainboards are in thelowered position.

5. In a wringer, a frame, rolls carried by the frame, a drainboardprojecting from one side of the frame, and a brace extending between theupper side of the drainboard and the frame whereby an upward force onthe drainboard will be transmitted through the brace -to the frame, saidbrace being inclined from the outer edge of the drainboard toward thecenter of the wringer and providing a guide for guiding material to therolls.

6. In ay wringerfa frame having spaced side stiles, drainboards carriedby the frame, said drainboards being hingedly movable from a loweredpositionA projecting from opposite sides of the frame to a raisedposition closing the space between the side stiles, and plates pivotallycarried on the drainboards for closing the space between the top of thedrainboards when the drainboards are in the raised position.

'7. In a wringer, a frame having spaced side stiles, drainboards carriedby the frame, said drainboards being hingedly movable from a loweredposition projecting from opposite sides of the frame to a raisedposition closing the space between the side stiles, plates pivotallycarried on the drainboards for closing the space between the top of thedrainboards when the drainboards are in the raised position, a controlbar extending across the top of the frame, and means on said control barfor engaging said plates to hold -said drainboards in the raisedposition'.

H 8. In a wringer, a frame having spaced side stiles, drainboardspivoted on the" frame, said drainboards being movable from a loweredposition projecting from opposite sides of the frame to a raisedposition closing the space between the side stiles, braces carried bythe wringer, said braces being movable to a position extending betweenthe drainboards and the frame for holdlng the drainboards in the loweredposition, ears on said drainboards, and spring means on the under sideof said frame for engaging said ears and maintaining the .braces undercompression when the drainboards are in the lowered position.

9, In a wringer, a frame having spaced side stiles, drainboards pivotedon the frame, said drainboards being movable from a lowered positionprojecting from opposite sides of the frame to a raised position closingthe space between the side stiles, braces carried by the wringer, saidbracesbeing movable to a position extending between the drainboards andthe frame for holding the drainboards in the lowered position, ears onsaid drainboards, and spring pressed pins lon vthey under side of saidframe for engaging said ears and maintaining the braces undercompression when the drainboards are in the lowered position.

10. In a wringer, a frame having spaced side stiles, a drainboardcarried by the frame, said drainboard being hingedly movable from alowered position projecting from the frame toa -raised position closingthe space between the side stiles, and a brace hinged on the uppersurface of the drainboard and movable from a position on the face of thedrainboard to a position extending between the drainboard and the frame.

11. In a wringer, a. frame havingspaced side stiles, drainboards carriedVby the frame, said drainboards being hingedly movable from a loweredposition projecting from opposite ksides of the frame to a raisedposition closing' the space between the side stiles, and a plate carriedon the under side of one of the drainboards for closing the spacebetween the top of the drainboards when in the raised position, saidplate being movable to a position underneath the drainboard when thedralnboard is in the lowered position.

GEORGE W. DUNHAM.

